Beyond the veil
by cein
Summary: The team receive assistance from an unusual source to solve a crime.


Title: Beyond the veil

Character(s): Team

Genre(s): Gen

Episode(s): n/a

Challenge: Write a story where the _team_ gets involved in a paranormal case, a la Mulder & Scully, you can even reference The X Files if you wish. Make it as freaky and abnormal as you want. Word count may not exceed 2000.

Tony looked up from the file that McGee had handed him. "This is a cold case, McGee." He looked at the name on it, "And it wasn't even ours to begin with. Cooper's team handled it, if there's a new witness they get all the fun of re-interviewing them."

"Security said that he specifically requested Gibbs's team."

"Well we are the best team in the building," said Tony absently as he scanned the file. "Dead Lieutenant in Rock Creek Park. All the potential suspects alibied out. No forensics worth a damn off the body." He looked up at McGee. "So what does this 'Adam Tanner' have to offer?"

"He says he spoke to Lieutenant Jameson," said McGee.

"Before he died?"

"No, Tony, afterwards."

"No need to be McSnarky," said Tony, tossing the file back on his desk.

"I'm not," said McGee, patiently. "He says that he's been in communication with Jameson's spirit." McGee caught the look on Tony's face, "I know, I know, he's probably crazy, but..."

"But?" prompted Tony.

"He knew about the hold-back details."

Tony frowned as he flipped through the file again, before stopping at the initial crime scene report, "The blue scarf found in Jameson's hand? Wife couldn't ID it, Cooper figured Jameson grabbed it from the perp during the struggle."

McGee nodded, "That was never made public. So if he knows about it, either he's telling the truth about being able to communicate with the dead."

"Or he's our killer," said Tony, shoving his chair back as he stood up. "Good catch, McGee. Lets go bag us a bad guy."

"McGee did a background check on Tanner," said Tony, as he and Gibbs watched through the observation window. "Pretty average guy, works as a freelance web designer. Nothing unusual until about four years ago when he was in a bad car crash. According to him, he flatlined on the operating table, and after he recovered he realized he could see ghosts. Metro P.D investigated a fraud complaint against him, but no charges were filed because as far as they could tell, he wasn't taking a cent from anybody and being delusional isn't a criminal offense." Tony glanced at Gibbs but got no reaction, "As far as they're concerned, he's a weirdo, but a harmless one. McGee's digging further, see if he can find any connection between him and Jameson. Ziva's speaking to Cooper's team, trying to find out who knew about the scarf. Could be that somebody let it slip and that's how Tanner knows about it. Guess that just leaves you and me to interview him."

Gibbs shook his head, "He's all yours DiNozzo. If he didn't kill Jameson, then he could easily know the person who did."

"So I'm guessing you don't believe in all this 'I see dead people'...no, no, of course you don't. I'll be right next door." Tony beat a hasty retreat.

Ducky moved over to stand beside Gibbs. "It's not like you Jethro, to turn down the chance to get the truth out of somebody."

Gibbs shrugged, "He's probably just an attention seeker. DiNozzo will be well able to deal with him."

"So, Adam," said Tony, sitting down and looking at the file in front of him. "I can call you Adam, can't I? You've come to us because you see dead people."

The man across the table from Tony sighed heavily, "If you're going to make any 'Sixth Sense' jokes, I've heard them all before. I'm not crazy, I didn't ask for this ability." He paused for a few seconds as if listening to something, before continuing, "And no, I didn't kill Lieutenant Jameson and then come here today to confess."

"You a mind reader as well?" Tony put one hand behind his back. "Go on then, how many fingers am I holding up?" He grinned.

"I'm not a mind reader," said Adam, "And didn't anybody tell you that it's rude to flip the bird at somebody?"

Tony's grin faded, "Lucky guess," he said, pulling his hand back in front of him.

"No, I saw it reflected in the mirror. Or should I say the observation window. I'm guessing that your boss is standing behind it, maybe a profiler as well. Watching me, waiting to see if I give away any sign that I'm a crazed killer or a nutcase." He paused again, "I'm sorry. Seety says there's no need for me to be rude."

"And just who is Seety when he's at home?" asked Tony. He was beginning to think that maybe Tanner was just a nut.

"She guides spirits to me so that I can help them move on," said Adam.

"Right," said Tony, sighing inwardly. This was going to be a long interrogation. "So, Adam. Can 'Lieutenant Jameson' tell you who killed him?"

"No, the man had a scarf pulled over his face, the blue scarf. And Jameson only got a quick glimpse before he was stabbed."

Tony frowned, "So if he or you can't tell us who the killer was, then what can you tell us that we don't already know?"

"I can tell you exactly why he swallowed the ring."

Behind the observation window, Ducky was paying just as much attention to Gibbs as he was Adam. "I take it that you did not expect that revelation," he said. "You knew about the ring though."

"Knew that Cooper figured Jameson swallowed it to hide it from his attacker. Jameson's widow identified it as a family heirloom of hers. Cooper thought he was going to sell it to pay off his gambling debts only got mugged before he had a chance. He swallows the ring to keep it safe but gets stabbed anyway."

"Hmm," said Ducky, thoughtfully. "You know I remember that case. The poor boy was practically eviscerated. I remember being surprised that it was just a simple mugging. In my experience that level of violence usually has a purpose or a rage behind it. A mugger would have stabbed once to incapacitate or kill and then taken what he could scavenge from the body."

"He wasn't on his way to sell the ring," said Adam. "He was on his way back. He'd been to the pawnshop, had it valued. But when they made him an offer, he just couldn't go through with it. That's why he swallowed it, that's why he fought so hard," Adam hesitated again, "He was bringing it home so he could confess everything to his wife and make a fresh start. And he can't cross over until he knows that she knows that. But she's moved and I can't find her to tell her, and Seety figured that NCIS might have kept track of her since the case was still officially open."

"Let me get this straight," said Tony, "You're not here to help with the case at all, you just want to find this woman? What are we, a missing persons bureau?"

"You said the level of violence had a purpose behind it," said Gibbs, frowning, "Like maybe somebody trying to retrieve a ring they'd seen being swallowed?"

"That would certainly explain the depth of the cuts, but why would somebody risk being caught for a ring that could have been worthless for all they knew?"

"Maybe they knew exactly how valuable it was." Gibbs pulled his phone out. "McGee, get me a list of all the pawnshops within walking distance of Rock Creek Park, specifically any that deal in jewelery." Breaking the connection he turned to Ducky. "So, what's your verdict on this guy?"

"Watching an interview is no substitute for a face to face encounter," said Ducky, thoughtfully, "And while I have no means of ascertaining the truth of his statements regarding the presence of Lieutenant Jameson's spirit, I *can* tell you that that young man believes it to be true. Whether he is in fact delusional or whether he really can see beyond the realms of human existence, that's not for me to decide."

"You're a man of science Duck" said Gibbs. "You can't tell me you believe all this psychic mumbo-jumbo."

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Jethro, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. Science has only reached so far. I wonder though, which is it that bothers you more, the possibility that this young man is lying about his ability...or the possibility that he is telling the truth."

"I have suspects to line up," said Gibbs, "Live ones. Call me if you have anything useful to tell me about the case."

Tony left the interrogation room almost an hour later having been unable to shake Tanner on a single detail. A part of him was inclined to charge the guy with wasting NCIS time. But then a part of him kept thinking, "What if he's right." Lost in thought he almost bumped into Gibbs who was waiting outside.

"Oops, sorry Boss, didn't see you there," said Tony, "Not that you were lurking or anything, you never lurk, you just wait in a Marine like fashion, and did McGee get anything on that background check?"

"Nope, but he got us a list of pawnshops. Hope you're wearing comfortable shoes."

It took them time of course. There were a lot of pawn shops to visit, a lot of people to interview, a lot of memories of the past to sort through. Adam Tanner had provided a solid alibi for the time of the murder and had been allowed to leave NCIS with a 'don't leave town' warning from Tony.

Eventually, after a lot of legwork, Tony and Gibbs interviewed a pawnshop owner who while not recognizing the Lieutenant's photo, *did* recognize the ring. "Boy that was a real beauty," he told them. "Course the kid had no idea how much it was really worth, and I wasn't about to tell him. But in the end he changed his mind and walked away. Shame, I could have really cleaned up on that deal."

The owner hadn't panned out as a suspect, but his nephew, who occasionally helped in the shop and had a record for violence, well that had been another matter. A few hours in interrogation under Gibbs's steely glare and he had confessed to following Jameson from the shop and attacking him in Rock Creek Park. "I never meant to kill him," he said, "If he'd given me the ring I wouldn't have had to hurt him." Gibbs had just looked away in disgust.

Tony contacted Mrs. Jameson to tell her of the arrest and how the fresh information had shed new light on her husband's motivations. He carefully omitted any mention of ghosts and psychics, but from the look on her face, it was clear that she had been convinced enough to have forgiven him.

Adam Tanner corroborated that when he phoned Tony a few days later.

"I just wanted to tell you that Lieutenant Jameson has been able to move on. Thank you Agent DiNozzo, both from me and Seety. She says she knew you wouldn't let her down."

"Seety, yeah," said Tony, absently, phone propped between his shoulder and cheek as he typed the last few pages of his report. "What sort of name is that anyway?"

"It's her initials," said Adam. "She feels that her name was part of her past life and she won't use it again until she moves on. A pity, I think Caitlin is a lovely name. Anyway, thanks again, and if there's anything I can ever do for you, just let me know. Goodbye." He hung up.

"Yeah, like that'll ever happen," said Tony. "Definitely a grade A weirdo," he said to himself as he slid the handset back into place. But then he thought, however it had happened, the case *had* been closed, and that was a win in everybody's book.

The end


End file.
